Distributor for internal combustion engines



March 21, 1939 J. G. KUBELUS DISTRIBUTOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINESFiled June 5, 1957 fatentcd 9 wigg Tia N ENGINES .l'cseplh t Kubelus,Jessup, ll a. Application runs it, not, Serial. No. 146,530

tributors for the ignition systems oi internal combustion engines.

The main object of my invention is to provide a distributor in which thecontacts or terminals are adjustable in a radial direction so that theywill at all timesstand at the proper spacing relative to the rotor whichrotates between the contacts. Another object is to provide a distributorhaving a novel form or cover assembly wherein a solid dish-like cover isused to seal the distributor cap or housing against the entrance of dirtand other :forelgn matter but which may be removed 1 to expose theinterior of the distributor to view in actual operation, the centerterminal beingsupported meanwhile by a cross piece or bridge.

Any defects in the contact spacing and operation may be readilydetermined by inspection of the parts in actual operation.

A further object is to provide a distributor of this kind in a simple,practical and inexpensive form.

with these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter iully set forth andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing as showing apreferred embodiment of my invention for purposesof exemplification.

in the drawing:

Figure l is a vertical cross section through a distributor constructedin accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the distributor.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section of the cap or housing alone.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the cover disk alone.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the cover bar or bridge alone.

figure 6 is a perspective view of the rubber sleeve used to seal aroundthe center contact pin. Referring now with more particularity to thedrawing the reference character A designates a distributor body ofconventional form. the same including the rotor shaft 13 extendedvertically and centrally through it with a drive connection C at itslower end by which it is rotated by the 50 engine to which it isattached (not shown). The

shaft B carries a rotor D at its upper end above the level of the upperend E of the body A, and this rotor has the usual contact cam F andspring G. These parts are all entirely conventional and 55 no inventiontherefor is herein claimed.

(@l. add-til My invention relates to improvements in dis-=' My inventioncomprises a cylindrical can or housing 6 adapted to seat at its lowerend on. the upper end E of the body ii. on which it is removably securedby hooks ll each made of spring strip pivoted at one end on a pin llbetween ears 5 9 on the body A and having at its upper end an inwardlyturned prong or knee it which may he engaged in a recess ii in the sideof the cap 6. The hooks may be disengaged by springing them free fromthe recesses ii and the cap 6 may then it be liited from the body A asdesired. At radially spaced points around its periphery the cap 6 has Vmoulded bosses i2 which are faced ofi flush with its upper end 63 asshown. Contact receptacles or seats id of L-shaped iorrn are imbedded inl5 the bosses i2 and have tapped bores i5 opening inwardly radiallythrough the inner peripheral wall of the cap and the other arms of thereceptacles are upwardly extended and have tapped bores it to receivethe usual distributor wires 20 (not shown). The receptacles M are madeof metal to carry current from the wires.

Contacts ll are provided one for each receptacle i4 and each comprises athreaded stem or shank i8, a flat head i 9 and a lock nut it thread- 25ed on the stem. The stems it are screwed in the bores it of thereceptacles id and the lock nuts 20 are turned up against the ends ofthe bores to lock the contacts therein. The contacts may thus be screwedinto or out of the bores E5 to adjust them radially so that the contactcam F on the rotor D will pass each head it at the proper spacing asmeasured by a ieeler gauge of usual form (not shown) inerted betweenthese parts. This mounting of the contacts ll permits convenientindividual adjustment of each contact as may be necessary in use. Ofcourse the number of contacts depends on the number of cylinders in theengine to which the distributor is mounted. V

The upper end 93 of the can t is recessed an nularly around its upperedge forming a seat ii for a gasket 22 and a. cover disk 23 is providedof such diameter and thickness as to fit down on this gasket 22 flushwith the end 83. A cover cross bar or bridge 24 is provided and has thenarrow center portion 25 and the downwardly turned feet 26 spaced to siton the upper end id of the cap 6 and the adjacent edge of the disk 23,the extremities of the feet 26 also having downturned hooks 21 tooverhang the outer periphery of the cap. This bridge 24 is pressed downin place also holding the disk 23 on its gasket 22 by upper hooks 28.These hooks 28 are similar to the aforesaid hooks I, being made ofspring strip and pivoted at their lower ends on pins 29 extended betweenears 30 which are turned outward from the hooks 1 midway of theirlength. The upper hooks 28 have the inturned loops ll which overlie thefeet 28 and rest in sockets I! in the upper iaces thereof to hold thecover assembly in place as shown in Figure l.

A center contact receptacle 32 is imbedded in a boss 33 formed centrallyin the bridge 2 and a contact pin 34 depends from this receptacle 32down into electrical engagement with the rotor spring G. The cover disk23 has a central aperture II to clear the pin 34. The upper end of thereceptacle 32 has a threaded bore 38 to receive the usual center wire(not shown).

The receptacle I2 is extended downward somewhat and a boss 31 isextended upward from the disk 23 around the aperture 35. A short length01 soft rubber tubing 38 is then slipped over these parts sealing theaperture around the pin ll and preventing water or other foreign matterfrom entering around the pin and hindering the operation 01' thedistributor.

The operation 01' the distributor is identical to that of the presentforms. By loosening the upper hooks 28 the bridge 24 may be removed, thedisk 2! removed, and then by replacing the bridge and hooks the pin 34will still make con tact with the rotor spring G thus allowing thedistributor to continue to operate while permitting a view of the partsas they operate. This is of great advantage in adjusting the distributorfor proper operation and locating the cause oi any trouble which mayarise.

The cap 6, disk 23 and bridge 24 are all moulded oi Bakelite or similarmaterial for purposes of insulation.

While I have herein set forth a certain preferred embodiment of myinvention. it is understood that I may vary from the same in minorstructural details so as best to provide a practical device for thepurpcnes intended, not departing from the spirit or the invention andwithin the scope oi the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cap assembly for mounting atop a conventional form of distributorbody, the same including an open cylindrical housing for seating uponthe distributor body, a cover disk removably fitted to the predeterminedupper edge of the housing, an arched bridge pieceremovably seated overthe cover disk with its ends bearing upon the disk, releasable means forsecuring the housing to the distributor body, and releasable means forsecuring the bridge piece in place upon the cover disk.

2. A cap assembly tor mounting atop a conventional cylindrical form oidistributor body, the same including an open cylindrical housing foroperatively seating upon upper edge of the distributor body, a coverdisk removably seated upon the predetermined upper edge of the housing,an arched bridge piece removably mounted over the cover disk with thefeet thereof bearing upon the margins thereof to hold same in place, thesaid feet on the being arranged to likewise operatively engage the saidupper edge oi the housing, releasable means for securing the housing tothe distributor body, and releasable means for securing the bridge piecein place either upon the cover disk I.

or upon the upper edge of the housing when the cover disk is removed.

3. In an assembly as defined in claim 6, an electrical contact elementoperatively seated centrally in the bridge piece and extended down 'i.

through the cover disk, the latter being apertured for that purpose, andwhereby the cover disk may be removed and the bridge piece then replacedand supported upon the upper edge of the housing with the contactelement in operative in position.

JOSEPH G. KUBELUB.

removal oi the cover disk

